1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an opening and shutting structure for a window member. In particular, the present invention relates to an opening and shutting structure for a window member, which can locate a heavy article such as a motor or the like at a corner portion in a door main body.
2. Discussion of the Background
Recent years, in a door for an automobile, an opening and shutting structure for a window member wherein a glass sheet is ascended or descended to a door main body by means of a motor, has widely been used. In such opening and shutting structure for a window member, when a conventional manual type elevating mechanism is replaced by a motor-driven system, a motor is in many cases located in a substantially central portion of the door main body.
In many cases, accessories such as, for example, various kinds of switches and a speaker or the like are located in the central portion of the door main body. Accordingly, the provision of the motor in a substantially central portion of the door main body may cause a disadvantage of mutual interference.
The present invention has been achieved in considering the above-mentioned problem, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an opening and shutting structure for a window member which can locate a heavy article such as a motor or the like at a corner portion of a door main body.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is to provide an opening and shutting structure for a window member comprising a plate-like window member for opening and shutting a window opening, a housing section provided in a lower portion of the window opening to house the window member and an elevating means or mechanism for raising or lowering the window member between the window opening and the housing section, wherein the elevating means or mechanism is provided with an elevating member which has a predetermined length and is fixed to the window member, and a driving section is housed in the housing section to move the elevating member in a longitudinal direction, wherein the elevating member is fixed to a side portion of the window member so as to be along an ascending/descending direction.
In the opening and shutting structure for a window member constructed as described above, the elevating member is fixed to a side portion of the window member so as to be along a direction of ascending or descending the window member. Accordingly, the driving section such as a motor or the like can be located in a corner portion of the door main body which constitutes, for example, a door for an automobile. Thus, the above-mentioned object can be achieved.
For the opening and shutting structure for a window member, it is preferable that an elastic member is housed in the housing section and is attached to a lower side portion of the window member so that the elastic member urges the window member in a direction for projecting the window member from the housing section.
In the opening and shutting structure for a window member, the window member is urged by the elastic member to project from the housing section. Accordingly, the window member as a heavy article can smoothly be ascended immediately after the driving section is actuated.
Further, for the opening and shutting structure for a window member, it is preferable that the elastic member contacts the side portion of the window member, which opposes the side with which the elevating member is attached.
Since the elastic member contacts the side portion of the window member which opposes the side with which the elevating member is attached in the opening and shutting structure for a window member, there is no risk that the window member inclines due to its own weight toward the other side even when the elevating member is fixed to only a side of the window member, and therefore, the window member can stably be ascended or descended.
The opening and shutting structure for a window member can suitably be used for a window for an automobile. With such opening and shutting structure, means for raising or lowering the window member can be arranged without any interference with various members disposed in a central portion of a door for an automobile. In addition, the elevating means or mechanism can be disposed at a corner portion of the door main body without locating a relatively heavy, large-sized structural article such as a motor or the like in a central portion of the door which is apt to cause a deformation of a side face of the automobile at a time of collision.
Further, in the opening and shutting structure for a window member, it is preferable to use a leaf spring formed in a substantially U-shape as the elastic member. In the opening and shutting structure for a window member thus constructed, since the elastic member is the leaf spring formed to have a substantially U-shape, the structure of the housing section can be simplified and the weight can be reduced.
For the opening and shutting structure for a window member, it is preferable to provide a frame extending in a direction of ascending or descending the window member from an opening of the housing section so that the frame can guide the elevating member.
In the opening and shutting structure for a window member, since the elevating member projecting from the housing section is guided by the frame, there is no risk that the window member is deflected.
In the case described above, it is preferable that a slide-contact member made of a soft resin is provided along the frame, and both front and back surfaces of the window member and a fitting member are in slide-contact with a slide-contact portion of the slide-contact member.
In the opening and shutting structure for a window member thus constructed, since the slide-contact member made of a soft resin provided along the frame is capable of slide-contacting the front and back surfaces of the window member, a certain waterproofness can be obtained.
In this case, it is desired that the slide-contact member is subjected to a hardwearing treatment.
The elevating member preferably comprises a fitting member for cramping the window member, a rack connected to the fitting member and a driving section including a pinion gear is meshed with the rack.
In the opening and shutting structure for a window member, since the rack of the elevating member is meshed with the pinion gear of the driving section, the window member can assuredly be raised or lowered without causing a defecting operation such as slippage or the like.
In this case, the rack member should be formed of a round rod. Then, the rack member can be bent corresponding to the shape of a glass sheet.